Ex-YouTube Employee Explains 13 Ways To Grow YouTube Channel

Summary

This video offers 13 top tips for growing a YouTube channel, curated from popular advice by ex-YouTube employee John Youa. It covers enhancing call-to-action effectiveness, leveraging search trends for content creation, optimizing upload times, and improving camera quality without upgrading devices. The video also addresses strategies for engaging new viewers, launching a channel with an initial batch of videos, reaching a global audience, and incorporating memes for a youthful appeal. Additionally, it provides insights on achieving high retention rates for shorts, finding free b-roll, crafting compelling stories, and linking short-form content with long-form videos for channel growth.

Takeaways

• 🔔 Use compelling calls to action (CTA) early in your video to boost engagement, such as challenging viewers to subscribe within a set time frame.
• 📈 Leverage Google Trends to identify trending topics within your niche to create content that is more likely to be discovered through search.
• 📅 Consider the timing of your video uploads to align with when your target audience is most active, and try to upload at less crowded times for better visibility.
• 📱 Improve your iPhone's video quality by adjusting settings to record in 4K and using the rear camera for better results.
• 🎬 For YouTube Shorts, focus on creating a strong first frame that instantly captures attention, as it's crucial for short-form content.
• 🚀 Batch production and scheduled release can help maintain a consistent upload schedule even with a busy lifestyle.
• 🌟 Launch your YouTube channel with at least five videos to provide immediate value and increase the chance of audience retention.
• 🌐 Utilize tools like tubebuddy to translate your video titles and descriptions into multiple languages to reach a global audience.
• 📽️ Incorporate memes and pop culture references by using resources like playphrase.me to make your videos more engaging and relatable.
• 📊 Aim for an 80-85% retention rate for your YouTube Shorts, as this indicates high viewer engagement and increases the likelihood of your content being recommended.
• 🎥 Find free b-roll footage and stock photos from sources like coverr.co and unsplash.com to enhance your videos without incurring costs.

Q & A

What is the ideal placement for a subscribe call to action in a YouTube video?

The ideal call to action should be placed in the first third of the video, in the middle of the content, and presented in a way that makes it engaging, such as making it into a game.

How can Google Trends be used to create content that attracts search traffic on YouTube?

Google Trends can be used by filtering by YouTube search, typing in words related to your niche, and creating content around the highest trending terms. Tools like TubeBuddy can also help analyze search volume and competition for specific terms.

Does the time of day when you post videos on YouTube matter for new creators?

Yes, the time of day matters, but for new creators, it's more important to upload at consistent times to establish a pattern for your audience. It's also suggested to avoid obvious increments like 10:00 AM and instead choose less common times like 10:07 AM.

How can you improve the camera quality of your iPhone without upgrading to a newer model?

You can improve camera quality by going to settings and increasing the resolution to 4K, using the rear camera, and enabling high-quality uploads on platforms like Instagram.

What is the 'first frame rule' when creating YouTube Shorts?

The 'first frame rule' refers to the importance of setting up tension and expectation in the very first frame of a YouTube Short to hook viewers immediately, as the first 0 to 3 seconds are crucial for capturing attention.

How can batch production help in consistently creating videos while balancing a job and family?

Batch production involves planning, scripting, and filming multiple videos at once, then scheduling their release over time. This method reduces context switching and allows for more efficient use of creative time.

What is the 'five video rule' for launching a new YouTube channel?

The 'five video rule' suggests launching a YouTube channel with at least five videos to provide significant watch time and show YouTube that the channel can retain viewers, which is beneficial for initial growth.

How can you reach a global audience with your YouTube videos if you only speak English?

Using tools like TubeBuddy, you can automatically translate video titles and descriptions into other languages, making your content discoverable to a wider audience.

What is a useful resource for finding memes and pop culture references for videos?

Playphrase.me is a resource where you can type in a phrase and find scenes from popular movies and memes that use that exact phrase, which can be downloaded and edited into your videos.

What is the recommended retention rate for YouTube Shorts to be successful?

For YouTube Shorts to be successful, aim for a retention rate between 80 to 85%, with a duration of about 20 to 30 seconds, as this has been shown to perform well in analytics.

How can you find free b-roll footage for your videos?

Coverr.co is a tool that offers free b-roll footage. You can search for what you need, select your favorite, and download it after acknowledging the website with a share.

What is a simple four-step process for telling better stories in videos?

The four-step process for telling better stories is: intro (hook), problem, solution, and outro (call to action). This structure helps to engage viewers and make the content more impactful.

How can you create a relationship between your YouTube Shorts and long-form videos?

To create a relationship between Shorts and long-form videos, plan segments within your long-form content that can be extracted and stand alone as Shorts, thus promoting cross-discoverability and enhancing the overall channel experience.